Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we get a compilation of Frank Sinatra love songs titled "Sinatra With Love." And if you want a romantic album just in time for lovers' night, you can't go wrong here. It's a collection of great love songs sung by Ol Blue Eyes himself. For Sintaraphiles, there's not much ground-breaking here. There isn't a bad song in the bunch, and in a sense it's a great compilation because it has songs from both his Capitol and Reprise years, and because of recording company mergers, both catalogues are now in one place. I have a soft spot for "Moonlight Becomes You," which opens the album. We hear a young Sinatra in this track, and while it doesn't have the emotional musical maturity of later Sinatra years, it's a great cut. I am not the biggest Sinatra fan, really. I am kind of with the school of those who thinks he lacks just a little bit of lyrical cognizance, but hey, this is still classic singing of any age. I will always have a soft spot for him, though, because he was my mother's favorite singer of all time. All the heavy hitter songs are here: "Misty," "Just One Of Those Things," and "The Way You Look Tonight." So if romantic music is what you are looking for, it's all going to be here. For those into rare Sinatra tracks, the swing-y arrangement of 'My Foolish Heart" which ends the disc is apparently a never-released version. So there's a little bit for everyone, but for those in love and looking for a soundtrack for Valentine's night, they need look no further.